Dancing With the Stars pros Alan Bersten and Emma Slater are opening up about their relationship like never before.
During a joint appearance on the “House of Maher” podcast — hosted by Bersten’s former DWTS partner Ilona Maher — the couple spilled on everything from the moment they took their relationship public on the DWTS tour to their favorite qualities about each other.
“I think the second we went public, it was like, ‘Oh, nothing else matters,’” Bersten, 31, said on the Tuesday, December 2, episode.
Slater, 36, added that being so “protective” and “private” at first “gets in the way.” She also shared the advice she received from DWTS pro Britt Stewart about embracing the public nature of their relationship.
‘DWTS’ Pros Alan Bersten and Emma Slater’s Relationship Timeline
“She said to me, ‘You’re kind of living in fear. You’re not really, like, owning your own life because you’re worried about what people will say,’” Slater recalled. “And I listened to her and she was right. The second that we made it public, the first day was a little bit like, ‘I’m not going to go on my phone.’ And then it was by far the best thing because we just popped that illusion.”
A source exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2024 that Bersten and Slater were “hooking up” amid DWTS season 33. The couple confirmed their relationship the following April while on stage at the DWTS live tour.
Scroll down for more revelations from Bersten and Slater’s appearance on the “House of Maher” podcast:
Their Onstage Kiss
Maher revealed she was actually the mastermind behind the viral moment Bersten and Slater sealed their relationship with a kiss during the DWTS live tour.
“I was in the wings and I went up to Alan, I was like, ‘Alan, you know what you gotta do? I think on your last night, you gotta kiss Emma,’” Maher said, recalling how “beautifully” the pair were dancing around each other.
Slater admitted she “had no idea” Bersten was going to kiss her on stage “until that day,” with Bersten adding that he asked for Slater’s permission before the hard launch. The couple even joked that they flubbed their choreography after the PDA.
“The choreographer is in the audience — Mandy Moore, who’s amazing — she’s in the audience and she’s watching, and she, of course, she was happy for the moment, and then I think, we went early, because everybody started screaming, and the adrenaline was going,” Slater said. “It was just really funny.”
According to Bersten, taking their relationship public made it feel even more “real.”
“I want everyone to know that Emma’s my girl, and I know she wants everyone to know that I’m her man,” he said.
What They Love Most About Each Other
“I think what I love most about Alan is we are very different and I need someone who is — this is going to sound very unromantic — but he is so practical and logical thinking. And he is so matter of fact,” Slater said on the podcast. “I love his humor, I love to laugh. It’s a really big thing, to me, to laugh in my relationship. But I love the fact that he really does show affection to me and he takes care of me and I love his heart.”
Before diving into what he loves most about Slater, Bersten simply said, “Have you seen her?” (He then joked that Slater has fielded “multiple BBL comments” online.)
“The fact that Emma cares so much about everyone, [even if] she’s never met them before, she’s going to care. She’s going to try to help them out,” Bersten continued. “She helps me out so much. So on top of just how beautiful our lives are and how romantic we can be and all that, she really wants me to be a better person. And I think that’s important.”
Bersten added that Slater “loves to learn,” which he appreciates. “I’m somebody that’s so attracted to passion and growth and wanting to be better. I’m really attracted to drive and Emma does that all the time,” he said. “Like, she just constantly is reading or researching something. She got her real estate license for fun. She got her notary license for fun. She just likes to learn things. It’s so attractive to see somebody progressing and getting better and learning.”
DWTS’ Sasha Farber Makes Rare Comment About Ex-Wife Emma Slater
Their Holiday Plans
The couple reminisced on spending Christmas with Slater’s family in the U.K. in 2024, but they won’t be making the same trip this year. “We don’t think we can go because of the time,” Slater admitted.
Instead, the pair will likely celebrate with Bersten’s family in the Midwest. “I’m trying to convince everyone to go somewhere warm,” he joked.
What They’ve Learned From Each Other
Bersten and Slater opened up about how they’ve found work-life balance since their relationship began, noting that having a shared experience at DWTS has helped them grow closer.
“I’ll give Emma the credit on this one, she, communication is so, so important. She really wants me to talk about my feelings,” Bersten said, adding that he’s also learned how to listen. “And she is the reason I’m getting better and more patient with everything, because I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t need to just jump in and try to fix things. Let’s just take a second and process.’”
Slater has picked up her own new qualities from Bersten, revealing, “He’s the reason I’m apologizing more, because I’m quite stubborn.”
Their ‘DWTS’ Tour Lifestyles
Slater, Bersten and their fellow DWTS pros will be hitting the road on tour from January to May 2026.
“I’m with my baby and my dog, and it’s so amazing that we get to do what we love, dance in front of thousands of people every day. And it’s just fun,” Bersten said of the tour experience.
Slater added that she feels lucky to explore so much of the country while on tour since she’s “not from here.”
